The Most Festive Holiday Cocktails In Los Angeles, California

Raise a glass this season and pair all your favorite classic holiday treats with holiday cocktails. Here are a few signature cocktail recipes that will have you feeling festive this season in Tinsel-town.

Photo & Recipe courtesy of author Michael Nagy

Joyful, Joyful!

This delectable cocktail is a twist on the Jubilee! cocktail constructed by the Donna Bar in Brooklyn, NY. With a name like this, how can you not imbibe during the holiday season? Full of flavor, Joyful, Joyful! offers the drinker a special drinking experience. It contains spiced pear, ginger, and grapefruit, topped with dry sparkling wine. TRU Vodka is an organic vodka produced at Greenbar Distillery in LA.

Prep: Prepare all ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass except Prosecco. Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Float Prosecco on top. Garnish with an Asian pear slice.

Photo & Recipe courtesy of author Michael Nagy

Ruby Slipper

The Ruby Slipper is a simple cocktail that can easily be made at home. It is very light and refreshing, bubbly, and festive with the addition of the pomegranate seeds floating in and cascading down the glass. Because of its lightness, it is best enjoyed before dinner as an aperitif to stimulate the palate.

Prep: Place spoonful of pomegranate seeds in a collins glass. In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, peach liqueur, and white cranberry juice with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into collins glass over fresh ice. Top with champagne or sparkling wine and serve.

Photo courtesy of Liquor.com/Recipe courtesy of author Michael Nagy

Holiday Honey-Orange

This citrusy, flavorful, and warming cocktail is best enjoyed after dinner or as a nightcap. The honey infusion gives it a winter-feel, and the Bergamot orange gives it its taste. Replace your usual after-dinner sipping drink with the Holiday Honey-Orange while sitting in front of the fireplace and reminiscing about the good times with friends and family. Pair with honey ham at Christmas dinner. Square One Organic Vodka is produced in Novato, California.

Oh Clementine!

Oh Clementine! evokes a merry time – perfect for the holidays. Mezcal, which was once considered un-mixable because of its smoky character, is rapidly becoming one of the most popular mixable spirits. This concoction should greatly satisfy the tastebuds of Angelenos who desire something fresh, different, and complex. Oh Clementine! is best enjoyed before or during dinner.

Christmas Negroni

This Negroni is a twist on the classic, using Chareau Aloe Vera liqueur in place of the sweet vermouth, giving it a more healthy and aromatic character. Chareau is a produced in California and is composed of aloe vera, cucumber, eau de vie, and lemon peel. The Christmas Negroni is perfect for sipping before dinner and serves as a great aperitif. It’s even better than the original Negroni, which is considered to be a classic before-dinner drink. The addition of sage gives it a Christmas feel. It was adapted from Little Cleo’s Restaurant Spearmint White Negroni during Arizona Republic Negroni Week.